Quino Checkerspot Butterfly 2018 Survey Protocol Western Riverside County MSHCP Biological Monitoring Program Quino Checkerspot Butterfly 2018 Survey Protocol INTRODUCTION The Biological Monitoring Program’s Quino checkerspot butterfly (Quino) survey strategy relies on conducting surveys for adult Quino after the flight season in a given year has begun. Surveys then continue throughout the Conservation Area until Quino are no longer observed, usually early May. Species-Specific Conservation Objective 4 states that “within the MSHCP Conservation Area, Reserve Managers will document the distribution of Quino checkerspot on an annual basis” (Dudek & Associates 2003). We will focus surveys within six of the seven Core Areas identified in Conservation Objective 1: Warm Springs Creek, Johnson Ranch/Lake Skinner, Oak Mountain, Wilson Valley, Sage, and Silverado/Tule Peak (Fig. 1; Dudek & Associates 2003). The remaining core (Lake Mathews/Estelle Mountain/Harford Springs Core Area) will be excluded from 2018 surveys as Quino have not been observed there by any biologists since 1998, and thus are believed to be extirpated (USFWS 2001). Additional surveys will be conducted in satellite (non-core) occurrence complexes where Quino are known to currently or historically occur, such as the southwestern portions of the San Bernardino National Forest (SBNF) and Cactus Valley. As a result of conducting annual surveys for Quino since 2005 we have gained a better understanding of the overall distribution of the species in our Conservation Area. We are gaining insight into the habitat requirements necessary to sustain a healthy and stable population of Quino and the factors that may be at play in the decline of certain populations. In 2018 we will continue sentinel site monitoring to determine the beginning of the flight season and to add to our understanding of within- and among-year differences in the timing and duration of the Quino flight season. Once the presence of Quino larvae and/or adults is confirmed at any of the sentinel sites we will begin to survey across a broader range in Core Areas and Satellite Occurrence Complexes to obtain a better understanding of the overall distribution of Quino populations in western Riverside County. Goals and Objectives 1. Monitor Quino populations at established sentinel sites. a. Determine the flight season of Quino by surveying sentinel sites within 250 m × 250 m sampling station(s) to confirm presence/absence of Quino larvae and/or adults, and abundance. b. Track habitat conditions and species-specific resources on-site. 2. Monitor Quino populations in areas with suitable habitat, with priority given to locations that were recently occupied. a. Conduct presence/absence surveys within 250 m × 250 m sampling stations at survey sites identified as having suitable habitat. b. Survey sites with known Quino populations to determine if they are still occupied and the extent of occupation. Western Riverside County MSHCP 1 Biological Monitoring Program SAN JACINTO Western Riverside County Legend PERRIS )" Sentinel Site Survey Ä74 HEMET Highways Ä74 Ä Ä74 Water Bodies 215 ¨¦§ Cactus Valley Existing Conservation Land Cities CANYON LAKE MENIFEE San Bernardino National Forest LAKE ELSINORE Existing Conservation Land ¨¦§15 Ä79 WILDOMAR Johnson Ranch/ Lake Skinner Multi-Species Reserve Warm Springs ") Sage MURRIETA Ä371 Oak Mountain Wilson Valley Oak Mountain ") Silverado/Tule Peak TEMECULA ") Silverado/Tule Peak Ä79 ¨¦§15 Miles Date: 05 February 2019 0 20 UTM Nad 83 Zone 11 km Contact: Esperanza Sandoval I 0 2.5 5 10 15 20 MSHCP Biological Monitoring Program Figure 1. Quino Checkerspot butterfly Core Areas and sentinel site locations. Quino Checkerspot Butterfly 2018 Survey Protocol c. Survey new areas with suitable habitat within designated critical habitat for Quino and surrounding areas. d. Map observations to track distribution of Quino within the Conservation Area. METHODS Survey Design At the inception of our Quino monitoring effort in 2008, potential study sites were chosen using GIS layers of USFWS-designated critical habitat for Quino and lands accessible to the Monitoring Program. We used ArcGIS (ESRI 2009) to overlay a grid with adjacent 250 m × 250 m grid squares across the Plan Area (Fig. 2). We will use these grid squares to delineate the sampling stations where we will conduct focused area searches at the sentinel sites; these grid squares will also define our search efforts during surveys for adult Quino. Our survey strategy relies on conducting surveys for adult Quino only after the emergence of Quino larvae or adults have been observed at the sentinel sites. Surveys then continue during the whole of the flight season, conducted between the hours of 0930 and 1600. To commence a survey in a chosen sampling station, temperatures in the shade at ground level shall be >15.5oC on a clear, sunny day or > 21oC on an overcast or cloudy day, and with average wind speeds ≤ 24 km/hr as measured 1.2–1.8 m above ground level. Average wind speed is defined as the wind speed determined by averaging observed values over a one minute period at the beginning of the survey. We do not conduct surveys when there is fog or precipitation. Figure 2. Example of a grid of 250 m x 250 m sampling stations at MSR. Each square represents a sampling station and is assigned a unique identification number. Number of sampling stations vary by site. Western Riverside County MSHCP 3 Biological Monitoring Program Quino Checkerspot Butterfly 2018 Survey Protocol Sentinel Site Visits The primary purpose of sentinel site visits is to determine the commencement of the adult flight season. Surveys for Quino are conducted at the onset of Quino larva or adult Quino emergence and continue through the flight period, beginning from late January – early February through early–mid May (USFWS 2003). Flight start and end dates depend on the elevation of the site, temperature and rainfall. To determine when the flight season in a given area has begun, and thus inform the commencement of larger scale Quino monitoring, Monitoring Program biologists visit sentinel sites at three locations across the Conservation Area known to support robust populations of Quino: the Southwestern Riverside County Multi-Species Reserve (MSR), Oak Mountain, and the Silverado/Tule Peak area (Fig. 1). The Oak Mountain sentinel site was assigned two sampling stations. The MSR and the Silverado/Tule Peak sentinel sites were assigned one sampling station each. We believe these sites are geographically representative of the current distribution of Quino within the existing Conservation Area. In the future, as Quino populations shift, we may change the sentinel site locations. Adult Quino Surveys The primary purpose of adult Quino surveys is to monitor persistence of known populations and to ascertain the distribution of the species within the Conservation Area. This will be accomplished by surveying locations known to support Quino in recent years and where Quino historically occurred. We will also survey areas with suitable habitat and reasonably good potential for Quino occupancy in hopes of discovering new populations. The secondary purpose of Adult Quino surveys is to collect sufficient environmental data that may contribute to a better understanding of any additional factors that influence the distribution, occurrence, and detectability of the species. Survey areas vary in spatial extent depending on the heterogeneity of the landscape and suitability of the habitat for Quino but generally are bounded by several sampling stations. For some very large survey areas, we will prioritize sampling stations where Quino were recently observed and include the surrounding sampling stations if the habitat appears suitable for Quino. We will then generate a list of grid cell center-points and maps of the sampling stations that the surveyors can reference while conducting surveys. We will survey in six of the seven designated Core Areas: Warm Springs Creek Core Area, Sage Core Area, Johnson Ranch/Lake Skinner Core Area, Oak Mountain Core Area, Wilson Valley Core Area, and Silverado/Tule Peak Core Area. Additional areas that will be surveyed in 2018 are known as Satellite Occurrence Complexes (Dudek & Associates 2003) and are located outside of designated Core Areas. These locations are within the San Bernardino National Forest (SBNF) and Cactus Valley, and are surveyed regularly due to known, persistent Quino populations or historically occupied areas with highly suitable habitat. As time allows, we will survey additional areas to expand our knowledge and documentation of Quino occupancy in designated critical habitat for Quino. Field Methods For all surveys, surveyors record start and end times, habitat type and dominant shrubs, weather conditions, condition of host plants present, Plantago spp. leaf length, presence of flowering nectar sources, waypoints and data for any larvae and adults observed, co-occurring butterfly species, and habitat disturbances or changes. Western Riverside County MSHCP 4 Biological Monitoring Program Quino Checkerspot Butterfly 2018 Survey Protocol When Quino larvae or adults are observed, the surveyor will approach carefully, take a waypoint, record the number and lengths of larvae (to determine instar stage) or adults, record any observed activity, and take a photograph if possible. Any number of Quino observed within a 10 m radius (or the approximate distance one can visually track an individual’s movement) shall be counted together using one waypoint, providing they display the same behavior. During surveys, biologists should walk slowly and attentively, stopping occasionally to search for any flying or stationary butterflies and pay special attention to areas with a high potential for Quino use. We will use binoculars to scan surrounding areas and aid in identification of distant butterflies; follow the movements of other butterflies as an aggressive Quino male may chase them; stand still when a Quino has been spotted as other Quino may join it; and watch for Quino behaviors, such as nectaring and ovipositing. Lastly, if it won’t cause any disturbance to the butterfly, we may approach slowly to take a photograph.